John Paul Jones (born ‘John Baldwin’, on 3 January 1946) became a prolific musical director and arranger of a huge range of prominent sixties artist before forming Led Zeppelin with Jimmy Page in 1968. Since 1980 his collaborators have included Paul McCartney, La Fura Dels Baus, Brian Eno, The Butthole Surfers and Diamanda Galas. His debut solo album Zooma was released in September 1999, followed by The Thunderthief in 2001. Scroll down for more info on John’s career to date:
Biography Highlights:
1960
1960
1960
Organist and choirmaster (age 14) joined father’s dance-band.
1961
1961
1961
Formed bands at school, played U.S. Airforce bases in England.
1962
1962
1962
Turned professional, various bands touring clubs, theatres, U.S. bases, etc.
1964
1964
Musical Director
Musical director for ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM
1964
1964
Arranged for: THE ROLLING STONES, P.P. ARNOLD, BILLY NICHOLS, TWICE AS MUCH, NICO, LIONEL BART, ANDREW OLDHAM ORCHESTRA
1964
1965
1965
Musical Director
Musical director for ROBERT STIGWOOD
1966
1966
1966
Musical director for MICKEY MOST
1966
1966 / 1967
Arranged for
HERMANS HERMITS (A Kind of Hush, No Milk Today, etc.)
DONOVAN (Mellow Yellow, Hurdy Gurdy Man, etc.)
LULU (Boat That I Row, To Sir With Love, etc)
JEFF BECK (Hi-Ho Silver Lining, Love Is Blue, Beck’s Bolero, Truth album)
YARDBIRDS (Little Games, Ten Little Indians, etc.)
JULIE FELIX album
FRANCOISE HARDY album
GRAHAM GOULDMAN album
1966
1966 / 1967 / 1968
Arranged for:
CLIFF RICHARD, MARC BOLAN, CAT STEVENS, THE ROLLING STONES, P.J. PROBY, DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, ANITA HARRIS, WAYNE FONTANA & THE MINDBENDERS, FREDDIE & THE DREAMERS, SHE TRINITY, AMORY KANE, FRUGAL SOUND, THE MIGHTY AVENGERS, AFFINITY, FAMILY DOG, THE GREENBEATS, MADELINE BELL, MAGIC LANTERNS, PETER & GORDON, DOWNLINERS SECT, etc
1967
1967
1967 / 1968
Played for:
TOM JONES, EVERLY BROTHERS, BURT BACHARACH, SAMMY DAVIS, PAULA ANKA, DEL SHANNON, ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINK, WALKER BROTHERS, MEMPHIS SLIM, ETTA JAMES, CHAMPION JACK DUPREE, PEARL BAILEY, DINAH WASHINGTON, KATHY KIRBY, JAY & THE AMERICANS, PAUL & BARRY RYAN, MARIANNE FAITHFULL, THE SUPREMES, BO DIDDLEY, DETROIT SPINNERS, SHIRLEY BASSEY, SUE & SUNNY, CLAUDE FRANCOIS, MICHEL POLNAREFF, EDDIE MITCHELL, GEORGE MARTIN + many 100’s of Recordings, Film and T.V. Sessions.
1967
No Introduction…
Recording session at Olympic Studios, later released as “No Introduction Necessary”, with Jimmy Page, Nicky Hopkins, John Paul Jones, Albert Lee, Chris Hughes, Keith David De Groot, Clem Cattini, Big Jim Sullivan.
1968
1968
1968
Led Zeppelin on tour
Led Zeppelin perform their debut American concert on December 26, 1968 in Denver as an opening act for Vanilla Fudge. By the end of 1969, they would have performed over 175 shows to sold out crowds worldwide.
1969
1969
1969
Led Zeppelin Gold Album Award
Led Zeppelin receives Gold Record awards for the debut LP, presented by Atlantic Records’ VP, Jerry Wexler.
1969
1969
Gold Record awards for sales of $5 million in U.S.
Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, presented Led Zeppelin with Gold Record awards for sales of $5 million in the United States for their first two albums.
1970
1970
1970 Tours
Extensive touring continues in 1970, playing in front of their largest UK crowd to date at the Bath Festival.
1970
Led Zeppelin III
Oct. 1970 – Atlantic Records: “Few albums have been so eagerly awaited by so many rock fans as Led Zeppelin’s third LP. And no wonder, it’s one of the most exciting albums the Zeppelin has every recorded, containing all new material performed by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham in their own electrifying fashion. The album displays the group’s tremendous inventiveness, depth and maturity. It’s the greatest Zeppelin ever, which means that “Led Zeppelin III” will be the year’s top-selling LP.”
1970
Gold and Platinum disc awards presented by Anthony Grant, the British Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade: two gold discs for U.S. sales in excess of one million copies of “Whole Lotta Love,” and for European sales of Led Zeppelin II.
1971
1971
Worldwide tours including first to Japan
Touring continues in 1971, including Led Zeppelin’s first concerts in Japan. Proceeds from their concert in Hiroshima are donated to victims of the first Atom-bomb in 1945. The mayor presents the band with a letter of appreciation and a city medal as a token of friendship.
1971
Fourth Led Zeppelin Album
Led Zeppelin’s fourth (untitled) album released. It would become the band’s top selling record and one of the best-selling albums ever in the US.
1972
1972
Led Zeppelin worldwide tours
In 1972, Led Zeppelin tour around the world, playing headline shows in Australia, Europe, North America and Japan.
1973
1973
Houses of the Holy
After completing tours in Europe in early 1973, Led Zeppelin’s fifth album, Houses of the Holy is released.
[Watch 2014 Super Deluxe Edition ‘Unboxing’ Video]
1973
Bigger Than The Beatles
Led Zeppelin continue their record breaking tour of North America – They set a record in their opening night in Atlanta with a crowd of 49,236 at Braves’ Stadium and Tampa the next night, where they broke a record set by the Beatles in 1965 at New York’s Shea Stadium.
[Watch News Film Live in Tampa 1973]
1973
Three Nights At MSG
The 1973 tour concludes with three sold out shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden which are filmed for the their feature film, The Song Remains the Same. [Watch NBC News Film]
1973
COMIN’ ATCHA
Produced and performed on MADELINE BELL album “COMIN’ATCHA” (1973). Also appeared with Bell on BBC TV in December 1973. [Hear ‘Comin Atcha’]
1974
1974
Swan Song
Led Zeppelin launch Swan Song record label.
1974
Hyde Park with Roy Harper
Performed at Hyde Park with Roy Harper and David Gilmour – “Roy Harper and Heavy Friends”.
